Toronto council shifts focus to uncertain 'transition period' as Tory prepares to step down

Toronto city councillors say the period following Mayor John Tory's impending exit will be about maintaining frontline services and keeping residents engaged while the city transitions into an era of new leadership.

Councillors told CBC Radio's Metro Morning on Thursday that it's important to focus on supporting Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie as she takes the reins temporarily before a new mayor can be elected.

"I do think that there's a real desire by all councillors to make our city proud during this very difficult time," said Coun. Paula Fletcher, who represents Toronto-Danforth.

"I think we're all just really wanting to focus on this current transition period and see what the field ends up shaping up to be," said first-term Etobicoke-Lakeshore Coun. Amber Morley.

On Friday, Tory will officially step down as mayor, one week after he admitted to an extramarital relationship with a former staffer. Tory announced he would resign shortly after details of the relationship were first published by the Toronto Star.

Fletcher said Tory's resignation in the first few months of his third term, already complicated by "strong mayor powers" and a controversial budget he championed, is "unprecedented."

She said the circumstances of his looming departure are part of a "terrible period" that both Tory and the city are going through.

"It's not how we wanted to start this term," Fletcher said.

LISTEN | Councillors on what Tory's departure could mean for the city:

Coun. Shelley Carroll said she hopes Tory's resignation is the "hallmark" of what happened in a "very unfortunate circumstance."

"We've had problems before in the mayor's office, and this time what we saw is a really quick response, a decisive response and every effort to keep the city stable," said Carroll.

New mayor will need to work with Tory's budget

Tory submitted his resignation letter shortly after council passed his $16.1-billion budget, which included increases to the police budget and service cuts to the TTC.

Even though he won't be around to see it through, city councillor and budget chair Gary Crawford says by the time a new mayor gets elected, progress will have already been made on implementing Tory's fiscal plan.

"We can't go back. I mean, we made a decision as council, we came together," Crawford said.

The new mayor will need to handle what comes next, he said, particularly when it comes to securing $933 million from the provincial and federal government to cover a gaping financial hole left by the city's pandemic-related spending. 

And that figure is just for this fiscal year. In reality, the city needs as much as $1.56 billion to be whole again.

LISTEN | 2 city hall veterans break down the marathon budget debate:

"We need some sort of new deal with the other two levels of government — that is going to be the biggest challenge with whoever gets this position coming in, is to deal with that kind of unfortunate legacy that came out of COVID," said Crawford.

What a new mayor needs to do

Some familiar candidates have already said they will run to replace Tory, including Gil Penalosa, who was the distant runner up in the last municipal election. Both the progressive left and centre right are considering who's best to support in the upcoming byelection.

Morley said she hopes the new mayor provides "bold and brave action" on the challenges facing the city today, including working with other levels of government, helping the city recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and tackling the housing crisis.

"We had an abysmal turn out in the last mayoral election and the unique nature of this big change hopefully has more people paying attention and eager to participate."

While byelections often have very low turnout, Carroll said, there is an opportunity for voters to have another say in the direction of the city.

"It gives Torontonians a chance to focus solely on the mayor. No distraction from the other elections but solely on, 'What do we need in that mayor's office right now?'"